TIL Desk Lucknow:
ApolloMedics Superspeciality Hospital, Lucknow has brought heart surgery in Uttar Pradesh a step closer to the future, shifting away from large incisions toward faster recovery and shorter hospital stays. Dr. Rahul Bhushan and his team recently carried out a series of cardiac procedures to correct congenital heart defects using only tiny ports and high definition cameras.
Endoscopic approach was used to repair Atrial Septal Defects, a condition commonly know as hole in the heart. This congenital condition involves an opening between the upper chambers of the heart and can trigger severe complications later in life if ignored. Performing these endoscopic cardiac procedures back-to-back is a major first for the state. It clearly points to Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery (MICS) gaining real traction locally.
While open-heart surgery has been the standard procedure for decades, it usually requires a surgeon to cut through the breastbone and leave a significant scar. This new approach skips all such conventional procedures. Instead of cutting through bone, Dr. Bhushan relies on a tiny high-definition camera to see clearly inside the chest. This incredibly sharp view lets him fix the heart through small openings. It gives surgeons the exact precision they need and drastically reduces the physical toll on the patient’s body.
For the three patients who underwent the procedure, the results were almost immediate and effective. Because the chest remained intact, pain was minimal and the surgical trauma was barely there. In fact, some patients were ready to head home just a day after the operation. The technique also helps preserve bone and muscle integrity and significantly reduces the risk of post-surgical complications.
“We are essentially bridging the gap between old-school surgery and expensive robotics,” said Dr. Rahul Bhushan, Senior Consultant in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery. Dr. Bhushan, who brought this expertise back from the National Heart Centre Singapore, noted that while robotic surgery is effective, it is often too expensive for many families. “This endoscopic technique facilitates the same precision for surgeons and the same tiny scars as a robot, but at less than half the cost. It’s a win for the patient’s health and their wallet.”
Unlike robotic cardiac surgery, which requires high-end infrastructure and significant investment, this endoscopic approach delivers comparable outcomes while remaining far more accessible, making advanced cardiac care feasible for a larger population.
The move highlights a shift in how hospitals in the region are thinking about patient care. It’s no longer just about the surgery being successful, it’s about how quickly a person can get back to their normal life.
“We want patients in Uttar Pradesh to access world-class cardiac care without leaving the state. Facilitating such advanced, minimally invasive techniques like this in Lucknow itself, is part of that vision,” said Dr. Mayank Somani, MD and CEO of ApolloMedics Superspeciality Hospital.
The success of these procedures signals a broader shift in Uttar Pradesh’s healthcare ecosystem, paving the way for wider adoption of scarless, precision-driven cardiac surgery across the region.
ApolloMedics continues to expand its advanced cardiac program with a focus on minimally invasive and patient-centric care.
